'I Love Lucy': Lucy was anything but a typical housewife, but her collared dresses and coiffed curls reflected the quintessential feminine fashion of the time.

'I Love Lucy': Lucy was anything but a typical housewife, but her collared dresses and coiffed curls reflected the quintessential feminine fashion of the time.

Photo: x / CBS PHOTO ARCHIVE

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'I Dream of Jeannie': Although Jeannie's everyday colorful mini dresses still have the power to make vintage lovers swoon, her pink genie outfit and bare torso are unforgettable.

'I Dream of Jeannie': Although Jeannie's everyday colorful mini dresses still have the power to make vintage lovers swoon, her pink genie outfit and bare torso are unforgettable.

Photo: NBC / NBC via Getty Images

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'Gilligan's Island': Getting stranded on a desert island really does a number on one's wardrobe selection: just ask Gilligan. Fortunately, Ginger's glam gowns and Mary Ann's pigtails saved this ill-fated three-hour tour from a fashion disaster. less

'Gilligan's Island': Getting stranded on a desert island really does a number on one's wardrobe selection: just ask Gilligan. Fortunately, Ginger's glam gowns and Mary Ann's pigtails saved this ill-fated ... more

Photo: AP

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'That Girl': Aspiring actress Ann Marie was the original fashionable New York City single girl.

'That Girl': Aspiring actress Ann Marie was the original fashionable New York City single girl.

Photo: ABC / ABC

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'The Brady Bunch': This is the story of a family that loved polyester and crazy patterns.

'The Brady Bunch': This is the story of a family that loved polyester and crazy patterns.

Photo: ABC Photo Archives / ABC Photo Archives/Getty Images

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'The Mary Tyler Moore Show': Mary Richards rocked her workwear skirts, tall boots and colorful jackets, but its the moment when she tosses her blue tam in the opening credits that captures her spirit.

'The Mary Tyler Moore Show': Mary Richards rocked her workwear skirts, tall boots and colorful jackets, but its the moment when she tosses her blue tam in the opening credits that captures her spirit.

Photo: CBS Photo Archive / Getty Images

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'Charlie's Angels': Between the feathered, flowing locks and the bell bottoms, these three bombshells heated up the small screen in true 70s style.

'Charlie's Angels': Between the feathered, flowing locks and the bell bottoms, these three bombshells heated up the small screen in true 70s style.

Photo: ABC Photo Archives / ABC via Getty Images

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'Magnum, P.I.': Between his signature 'stache and red Ferrari 308, Magnum made the Hawaiian shirt sexy.

'Magnum, P.I.': Between his signature 'stache and red Ferrari 308, Magnum made the Hawaiian shirt sexy.

Photo: Silver Screen Collection / Getty Images

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'Dynasty': With big hair and even bigger shoulder pads, the ladies of 'Dynasty' helped to define 1980s glamour.

'Dynasty': With big hair and even bigger shoulder pads, the ladies of 'Dynasty' helped to define 1980s glamour.

Photo: ABC Photo Archives/Getty Images

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'Miami Vice': For better or worse, James 'Sonny' Crockett and Ricardo 'Rico' Tubbs put pastel t-shirts, light suits and loafers on the map.

'Miami Vice': For better or worse, James 'Sonny' Crockett and Ricardo 'Rico' Tubbs put pastel t-shirts, light suits and loafers on the map.

Photo: NBC / NBC via Getty Images

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'The Cosby Show': You can't talk about iconic TV fashion without mentioning Cliff Huxtables' collection of sweaters. Ugly? Yes, but "Cosby sweater" is still an affectionate term for particularly garish knitwear. less

'The Cosby Show': You can't talk about iconic TV fashion without mentioning Cliff Huxtables' collection of sweaters. Ugly? Yes, but "Cosby sweater" is still an affectionate term for particularly garish ... more

The history of women’s television fashion is a decidedly checkered one — as in, more often than not, their clothes reveal the look of the time, but not necessarily high fashion (check out the gallery above). But as longtime fashion writer Sylvia Rubin writes in Style’s cover story, “Ever since costume designer Patricia Fields changed the game with ‘Sex and the City,’ the clothes serve as an emotional weather vane for the characters.”

She found TV’s current crop of strong, sexually confident leading ladies are wearing enviable designer looks from Armani, Valentino, Dior, Escada, Akris, Prada — thanks to their talented costume designers with no real-life budget woes.